Страница 59 из 59
Alleyn said: “In terms of self-respect I think I would.”
“Exactly,” said Julia. “It’s like using a special sort of pious voice about somebody who’s dead when you don’t really mind all that much.” She turned to Ricky and presented him with one of her most dazzling smiles. “But then you see,” she said, “thanks to your papa we only saw the storm scene, as I expect it would be called in Shakespeare. Because after they broke in the door a large man pulled the stage curtains across and then your papa came through like men in di
Ricky remembered what she had been like after she had seen Dulcie Harkness. And then he remembered Jasper saying: “The full shock and horror of a death is only experienced when it has been seen.”
Julia and Jasper said they must go and Alleyn went down with them to their car. Jasper touched Alleyn’s arm and they let Julia go ahead and get into the driver’s seat.
“About Louis,” Jasper said. “Is it to do with drugs?”
“We think it may be.”
“I’ve thought from time to time that something like that might be going on. But it all seemed unreal. We’ve never known anybody who was hooked.”
Alleyn echoed Julia. “If you had,” he said, “it would have been different.”
When he returned, it was to find Fox and Troy and Ricky quietly contented with each other’s company.
Alleyn put his arm round Troy.
‘“And so we say farewell,’ ” he said, ‘“to the Pharamonds and their Wonderful Island.’ Pack up your bags, chaps. We’re going home.”
The End